Wilson gave Gillard reno cash, inquiry told
Ex-union official Bruce Wilson handed former prime minister Julia Gillard “a large amount of cash” several times to pay for renovations on her Melbourne home, a builder has told a royal commission.
Athol James started work on Ms Gillard’s Abbotsford house in 1993 and when he went to quote the job, met “her male companion,” the royal commission into trade union corruption heard on Wednesday.
“When I later did the job I came to know this man was Bruce Wilson,” James’ witness statement reads.
Gillard wanted to replace some doors and windows between March and June 1993 at a cost of $6040 according to invoices tendered in the commission.
In August the same year she was invoiced for $2986 by Mr James’ company for fencing and flooring repairs.
“During the work I would deal with Ms Gillard in relation to any payment for the completed work,” James said.
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“I would give her the invoice. I am pretty certain she said she would get money from Bruce and pay me in the next few days. I’m certain she said Bruce was paying for it.”
James, 84, is also certain he “saw Bruce hand Ms Gillard a large amount of cash on two occasions”.
“Ms Gillard said to me that as Bruce brought her the cash, she would pay me by cheque.
“When Bruce handed Ms Gillard the cash, she would write me a cheque.
“I was never paid in cash and I don’t know what happened with the cash Bruce handed her.”
The inquiry is examining allegations figures in the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) West Australian branch set up a secret “slush fund” in the early 1990s and used some of the cash to help officials win elections.
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It’s further alleged thousands of dollars from the so-called Workplace Reform Association fund was used to pay for renovations at Gillard’s then home.
Earlier in the day, the commission heard from Wayne Hem, a former Australian Workers’ Union clerk who ran personal and professional errands for Wilson.
At the AWU Victorian branch office one morning in late 1995, Hem said he was given $5000 in cash by a “scruffy” looking Wilson, who had returned from a night out at the casino.
Any suggestion the money was casino winnings were rubbished by Hem.
Hem said he expects the royal commission to find fraud was carried out at the AWU through a manipulative scheme and that “someone will be accountable for it.”
Around the time he was asked to bank the $5000 into Gillard’s account, Hem had just found out that the former primer minister and Wilson “were an item.”
“I wasn’t quite sure what (the money) was for,” he said.
“I didn’t ask whether it was a private, personal or whatever account.”
Wilson’s salary at the time was roughly $45,000.
The inquiry in Sydney continues.
